Have you ever felt tongue-tied when asked to introduce yourself and describe your work? Or maybe you ramble on in a way that doesn’t accurately describe what you do?

As a creative who does so many amazing things, it might be incredibly difficult to put your work into words in order to give your audience that “aha” moment and make them want to learn more.

There are many occasions where you’ll be asked to describe your work – or answer that dreaded question: what do you do? These include interviews, parties, networking get-togethers, conferences, or even meeting a friend of a friend for the first time.

The goal? You want the right people to remember you.

There are ways to practice talking about your services and talents that will open doors and engage the people you are talking with in an exciting way.

First, you need to remember: You are the only person in the world who does exactly what you do in your unique way. We want to help you make sure you tell the right story when people ask, in a clear, succinct, and compelling way.

First, let’s explore an example:

We met an artist at an opening. She had recently moved to New York from Florida, so we were discussing that, since it's a big life move. Sarah, our new acquaintance, impressed us when we asked her, "What kind of work do you make?" And she answered, "I am a sculptor who makes works from recycled materials, especially those small plastic bags that newspapers are delivered in."

Immediately, we were intrigued, asked her more questions about her work, and made it a point to look at her website the next day. Had she just said, "I am a sculptor" the conversation might have drifted off to more social things, or perhaps ended. So, the point here is to be very specific because each and every one of us is incredibly unique.

Make someone remember you. How do you do that? Create your perfect elevator pitch in five easy steps:

2. Now write down the three most important things that you do as a (designer, writer, illustrator, programmer, etc) and cite proof points why your work is important or unique.

3. Now figure out: What do you want your work to accomplish/What is your goal?

4. Distill the above three points into a short sentence or two: this will become your introduction, or pitch. You’ll want to end up with a simple statement like: I am a _____________ who (does this unique thing.)

5. Remember, you are talking with someone else, so engage them. Hopefully your pitch is so compelling that they ask you follow-up questions! Make sure you have a business card on hand to give them in case they want to learn more.

Here are some tips to consider as you practice your pitch in the mirror and to your dog, cat and best friend before you take it out into the real world:

It should explain what you do, clearly and succinctly: Who are you? What do you do?

It should be no longer than 20-30 seconds, which is about the time it takes to ride an elevator.

The pitch should be addressed to THEM not to YOU. To successfully engage in conversation, remember it’s about storytelling, not fact-reciting.

It should be comprehensible to even a kid.

Say it with confidence.

Be memorable.

It needs to be compelling and sound natural in person. (It’s beneficial to write it out and memorize it, but you don’t want to end up sounding like a robot.)

Why is your elevator pitch important?

You want people to understand what you do and remember you. It’s an opportunity to create a mental picture for your audience when your work is not in front of them to experience first hand.

You are creating an opportunity for an opportunity, which getting tongue tied will not provide you.

In a social setting, you would like to be able to engage in meaningful dialog with someone without rambling.

You want to add value to your community.

Because it’s an opportunity to represent your character as well as what kind of work you do.

Good luck! Let us know what your success stories are after you’ve written out and practiced your pitch!

Join us tonight! Art. Activism. Creating Change. We will welcome speakers Jeff Bergman and Katrina Majkut and be surrounded by the powerful exhibition by Sheida Soleimani at CUE Art Foundation. The gathering starts at 7—link in profile to sign up!⠀
⠀
DELVE Gatherings are rooted in the desire to build a strong, supportive community around art, artists and contemporary issues. The theme we will be exploring this year at each event is Creating Change. Quiet or loud, social practice to solo studio painting, emerging to established, an artist’s voice is crucial to highlighting and synthesizing our human experience. We are interested in the critical eye and what it reveals, whether it’s a subtle visual pun or a loud, public proclamation. Art that comes from personal experience or a sense of civil responsibility resonates strongly, and has the power to activate society and potentially reimagine its structure.⠀
⠀
#delveart #creatingchange #jeffbergman #katrinamajkut #cueartfoundation #sheidasoleimani

This Tuesday, June 26th at CUE Art Foundation, join us for a DELVE Gathering featuring the theme "Creating Change." The artist Katrina Majkut will be sharing her work. She is a visual artist and writer living and working in Brooklyn, New York. She is dedicated to exploring and understanding how social traditions impact civil rights. Majkut's research and findings are represented in her writing and through mediums such as embroidery and painting. Pictured here is Stretch Marks Lotion, Thread on aida cloth, 14 x 11 inches, 2018. To sign up for the event, click the link in profile! ⠀
#delveart #delvegatherings #katrinamajkut #jeffbergman #creatingchange

Every week, Jeff Bergman and others hold a teach-in at Trump Tower called "Learn as Protest." This is the book that started it all, and Jeff revisited it on June 15th. Jeff is one of the speakers at our June 26th DELVE Gathering at CUE Art Foundation. Please join us to learn more about his work and the work of artist Katrina Majkut, and our theme Creating Change. ⠀
Link in bio for more info and to sign up!⠀
⠀
#Delvegatherings #delve-art #jeffbergman #learnasprotest #creatingchange #cueartfoundation

This week we are featuring the work of artist Sarah G. Sharp in an interview on our blog. Here is Tool Box, 2018, which is an edition of 10 custom designed, handmade boxes that contain a set of limited edition artworks from five different artists and fundraiser for AgitArte, an organization of working class artists and cultural organizers, who provide material and cultural aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria to the people of Puerto Rico. The Tool Box box was handmade by Sophia Kramer and our unique folding broadside catalog was designed by Sabina Nieto. To find out more about this project and her other work, read the interview on our blog: delve-art.com/blog⠀
⠀
Also, don't forget to get a ticket to our DELVE Gathering at CUE Art Foundation next Tuesday! They are going fast!⠀(link in bio)
⠀
#sarahgsharp #creatingchange #toolbook #toolbox #delve-art #delvegatherings

A powerful exhibition by Sheida Soleimani, curated by Kate Shepherd, is currently on view at CUE Art Foundation and will be up during our DELVE Gathering on June 26th. Titled "Medium of Exchange," the exhibition presents sculptural photographic tableaus that address the relationship between dictatorships and the petroleum industry at a time when oil has become a form of international currency and a source of warfare. ⠀
⠀
DELVE Gatherings are rooted in the desire to build a strong, supportive community around art, artists and contemporary issues. The theme we will be exploring this year at each event is Creating Change. Join us from 7-9 pm on June 26th for artist talks, networking and discussion, and to see this powerful exhibition! For more info, and to sign up, click the link in profile. ⠀
⠀
#cueartfoundation #sheidasolemani #kateshepard #delvegatherings #delveart @cueart

We are looking forward to our first DELVE event of 2018! Join us at CUE Art Foundation in NYC on June 26th from 7-9pm for artist talks, activated networking and discussion. Our featured guest speakers are Jeff Bergman and Katrina Majkut. ⠀
⠀
DELVE Gatherings are rooted in the desire to build a strong, supportive community around art, artists and contemporary issues. The theme we will be exploring this year at each event is Creating Change. Quiet or loud, social practice to solo studio painting, emerging to established, an artist’s voice is crucial to highlighting and synthesizing our human experience. We are interested in the critical eye and what it reveals, whether it’s a subtle visual pun or a loud, public proclamation. Art that comes from personal experience or a sense of civil responsibility resonates strongly, and has the power to activate society and potentially reimagine its structure. Link in profile to sign up! ⠀
⠀
#delveart #delvegatherings #creatingchange #activism #networkingforartists @cueart

Thrilled to share a DELVE interview with artist @kmainenti as part of our exploration of artists Creating Change. Her latest work is a series of graphite drawings which explore the similarities between the apologies made by men accused of sexual harassment as a result of the #metoo movement and the fault-finding marketing claims commonly featured on women's beauty products. ⠀
⠀
"I believe the inventiveness of artists inevitably creates change, whether they intend it or not. It could be as simple as provoking the viewer to look at something in a new light, or more strongly challenging prevailing ideas or norms." Read on here or link in profile: https://buff.ly/2l7Jyil

Sharing work from Jamie Courville from our Open Call about artists Creating Change. Dive in and listen to the interviews and photos she has compiled here: https://buff.ly/2LoZwQ9⠀
⠀
"A linguist told me "squirrels" is the hardest word to say in the English language. I started a project called Squirrels Stories for things that are difficult to talk about. The first Squirrels Stories are audio portraits of people living with cancer. The objective of Squirrels Stories is to use the first hand story to help us all walk in other people’s shoes, to understand and appreciate the whole world we live in, and to open the door for real conversations about difficult topics.⠀
⠀
Everyone is affected by cancer in one way or another. It could be you or your brother or your aunt or your friend. We are truly terrible at talking about it. I have interviewed many with serious illness and injuries who say the same thing- people ask how they are doing, but nobody really wants to know. I believe people do want to know but do not know how to process the answers. Conversations about disease can be uncomfortable at best, and Squirrels Stories provides a place for personal dialogue about what it is really like to live with cancer. Participants have described the interview process as cathartic. It is beneficial to those that talk as well as those that listen.⠀
⠀
An individual's voice is a powerful instrument that goes straight to the heart in a way that nothing else can. I wanted to use all my years working with and experience in storytelling to do something better than sell Lysol. Warm your ears.⠀
⠀
These stories are on online for all, and have been heard at listening events around Brooklyn and The Brooklyn Public Library."⠀
⠀
Thank you, Jamie.

Artists, are you making, or have made work about Creating Change in your communities? Submit to our free open call. https://buff.ly/2Jksz6E We want to share your work and in turn inspire each other. ⠀
⠀
Quiet or loud, social practice to solo studio painting, emerging to established, an artist’s voice is crucial to highlighting and synthesizing our human experience. We are interested in the critical eye and what it reveals, whether it’s a subtle visual pun or a loud, public proclamation. Art that comes from personal experience or a sense of civil responsibility resonates strongly, and has the power to activate society and potentially reimagine its structure. #opencall #artistopencall

Sharing the work of Niki Singleton from our Open Call about artists Creating Change. Nikki writes: ⠀
⠀
"I am an artist who is forever dedicated to taking on contemporary issues in my studio work in an effort to be a voice against hypocrisy, hate, and complacency. I do feel a sense of duty to make this work and to spark dialogue around the problems we face. In my paintings, which you will see in the first portfolio link I provided above, I devise fictitious narratives and subversive characters to explore the complexities of oppression, be it gender-based, minority-based or environmental through fantastical roll play and metaphor. As a gay female immigrant artist, themes in my painting identify with LGBTQ, Feminist, activist and immigrant communities. This is reflected in my usual cast of characters of activists, queers, witches, monsters and divine entities. I often place them in environments that are hostile to them but give them superpowers to resist an overarching threat.⠀
⠀
I build up my imagery, like my subject matter, by layering with hand-made oil and acrylic paints and by collaging and sanding down material. I often employ a modular panel system in the process of working to create unexpected forms and narrative shifts in my imagery; a fracturing reminiscent of our society today."⠀
⠀
Thank you, Niki.⠀
⠀
1. Pink Pussy, 2017, Oil, acrylic, faux leather, collage on panel, 56"X48" ⠀
2. This Is MY Land, 2017, Ink on New York Times Magazine cover, 11X10⠀
⠀
If you are in NYC June 26th, join us for a DELVE Gathering: https://buff.ly/2smYJaG

DisclaimerAll content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. Kind Aesthetic makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information. These terms and conditions of use are subject to change at anytime and without notice.